December 3, 2012
Striking a quivering bull’s eye with the first book of a planned trilogy, Bracewell’s enthralling debut begins with Emma of Normandy crossing the “Narrow Sea” in 1002 C.E. to marry the much older King Aethelred. Emma is ill-prepared for the trials that come with her new position; not yet knowing the heart of the old king she makes the mistake of demanding the title of queen. The king, regretting the hasty decision of “taking a Norman slut to wife,” quickly tires of his demanding new bride; jealous rivals vie for Emma’s crown; and the threat of a Viking invasion constantly looms. But Emma’s role in the English court and her only chance of survival come down to heeding her mother’s words: “our first and most important task,” she instructed Emma before her departure, “is to bear a son.” Only then will her crown be secure. In time, Emma wins the hearts of her subjects as well as the affection of a young man in her husband’s court. Determined and savvy, Emma is a strong character that refuses to be cowed by her circumstances. With a light touch, Bracewell delivers a highly entertaining addition to the historical fiction genre. Agent: Stephanie Cabot, the Gernert Company.
December 15, 2012
Middling debut novel of the Middle Ages. A sort of wrinkle on Tristan and Iseulte and based on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Bracewell's yarn centers on a 15-year-old noblewoman named Emma of Normandy who is married off to King aethelred of England to cement various bonds across the Narrow Sea. (The year is 1001, so we still have a couple of generations to go before the Normans come a-calling in number.) England is a Beowulf-y place full of Angles and Saxons and Jutes and Vikings, the last of whom are causing an awful fuss, what with their looting and pillaging; to complicate matters, Emma finds herself instantly at odds with tough-nut Lady Elgiva, who considers the crown her destiny and has no end to her schemes. Isolated in court, paid no mind by her putative husband, Emma does what any self-respecting Norman would do--suffice it to say, this involves disrupting the line of succession. There are some nice moments in the narrative, and Bracewell does a good job of capturing the tenor of a medieval court and its endless intrigues. But the overall feel is musty, the writing ranging from stately to stale, as with this too-typical passage: "Now, though, Athelstan found it worrisome that Ealdorman aelfhelm and the other great lords of the land remained with the king in Winchester while the eldest aethelings had not been summoned." A serviceable bit of historical fiction, but for all its twists and ligatures, it's no Once and Future King.
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September 1, 2012
In 1002, 15-year-old Emma of Normandy is married to King Aethelred of England and immediately finds herself surrounded by conniving courtiers and neglected by the king. Then she falls dangerously in love, even as the Vikings threaten. The sales reps are raving.
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December 15, 2012
The first volume of a trilogy, Shadow on the Crown is the story of Emma, queen consort to the eleventh-century English king Aethelred II. A Norman in a loveless marriage of alliance, Emma is a spirited, clever 15-year-old who earns the love of her new subjects as well as that of Athelstan, eldest son of Aethelred. Emma returns that love, but will her sworn duty to her odious husband destroy the forbidden romance between queen and aetheling (prince)? And does love really belong to some other world, as Emma muses? In addition to the fraught love story, the novel examines the ongoing conflict between Aethelred's forces and those of Swein Forkbeard, the canny, self-styled king of the Danes. Based in part on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Bracewell's sweeping first novel is richly researched and creates a fully realized eleventh-century world of violence, power, intrigue, and superstition. Lovers of historical romance will be pleased.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
February 15, 2013
Korobi Roy is a sheltered young Hindu woman from Kolkata. Soon after she becomes engaged to Rajat Bose, the scion of a wealthy family, Korobi learns that the father she believed dead is actually alive in the United States. When she flies to the States to find her father, a complicated series of events unravels the smug assurance of her fiance's family, exposing the flaws and the strengths of the people around her. Divakaruni, who has examined the lives of Indian women living in the United States in works like The Arranged Marriage and Mistress of Spices, introduces a cast of characters who defy their stereotypes. Korobi's ideal sacrificing grandmother has secrets of her own. Asif Ali, the Boses' Muslim chauffeur, is much more than a humble servant. Bhattacharya, an ambitious politician, has a heart; and Rajat's little sister, Pia, has amazing courage. VERDICT Exploring the United States and India in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Divakaruni has crafted a beautiful, complex story in which caste, class, religion, and race are significant factors informing people's world views.--Andrea Kempf, formerly with Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS
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February 15, 2013
This debut novel (and the first volume in a trilogy) mines the historic Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to depict the life of Emma of Normandy (985-1052). In the early 11th century, the aging and widowed Saxon king Athelred marries a Norman bride to strengthen his divided country's ties with foreign allies. Teenage Emma learns quickly that both her Norman nationality and her Danish ancestors are suspect in the kingdom she now calls home. The inexperienced queen is caught politically between the raiding Danes and the warring Normans and emotionally between her distrustful husband and his young, attractive heir. Unable to depend on a haunted and vengeful king, she must form her own alliances carefully to protect herself, her child, and her new country. VERDICT The familiar themes of political rivalry, court scandal, and disputed lineage so often explored in historical fiction get a new cast of schemers and scoundrels set in a less familiar but no less dramatic period of English history. Readers of historical sagas and romances will embrace this rich narrative. [See Prepub Alert, 8/9/12.]--Catherine Lantz, Morton Coll. Lib., Cicero, IL
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